The level of the voluntary Living Wage has been increased to £8.45 across the UK and £9.75 in London.

Everton Football Club and the British Library were among employers announcing their commitment to pay the voluntary minimum, bringing the total number of accredited Living Wage organisations to almost 3,000.

Independently calculated each year to reflect what employees and their families actually need to meet their living costs, the Living Wage is significantly higher than the Government's mandatory minimum wage of £7.20 an hour for those aged 25, £6.95 for 21-24 year-olds and £5.55 for 18-20 year-olds.

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The increase from £8.25 to £8.40 for all workers aged over 18 represents a 2.4% hike in the UK rate, while London's rise from £9.40 to £9.75 amounts to 3.7 per cent.

It comes a day after a survey found that one in five workers - more than five million people - are being paid less than the Living Wage, according to new estimates.

The new Living Wage rates were calculated by the Resolution Foundation thinktank, overseen by a Living Wage Commission including representatives of employers, unions and civil society. The change does not affect the official minimum wage levels, including the rate for those aged 25 and over, which is known by the Government as the National Living Wage.

There are 237 Living Wage employers in the north west including Manchester Cathedral, Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce and the Universities of Bolton, Salford and Liverpool John Moores.

To mark the start of Living Wage Week, the Greater Manchester Living Wage Campaign, in partnership with Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce and theLiving Wage Foundation, hosted an action morning at Manchester University Students Union with Tony Lloyd, Police and Crime Commissioner and interim Mayor for Greater Manchester, Clive Memmott, CEO of Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce, Andy Burnham, Labour's nominee to be the first elected Mayor of Greater Manchester and Jane Brophy, Liberal Democrat nominee.

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Leanne Casey, a scheduling assistant for Global Support Services and Living Wage employee in Cheshire, said: “Since being paid the Living Wage, my life has improved for the better. I can now afford to go out for the day with my son, and go out with friends and family, as well as not having to constantly think about whether I will have enough food for the rest of the month until my next payday.”

Katherine Chapman, director of the Living Wage Foundation, said: "It's more important than ever for leading employers to join the growing movement of businesses and organisations that are going further than the Government minimum and making sure their employees earn enough to cover the cost of living.

"As we kick off Living Wage Week today we are celebrating nearly 3,000 employers across the UK who lead the way on tackling low pay by paying the real Living Wage. The sheer growth of our movement shows that the Living Wage is good for people and good for business."